Equestrian: Australia, Germany lead eventing

The German team is in front with 158.1 penalty points, while Australia is second at 162.0 points. Britain is third with 173.7.

Two Germans are also sitting in first and second individually, with two Australians in third and fourth after the dressage and cross-country phases. Stadium jumping on Tuesday will determine the medals in both individual and team.

8220;I planned to press from the beginning,8221; said Hinrich Romeike of Germany, riding Marius. 8220;If not today, then when?8221;

That strategy moved him from seventh after dressage into first place with 50.2 penalty points.

Ingrid Klimke of Germany finished 10 seconds behind her teammate but is only a half point behind based on her better dressage score.

Klimke was also trying to preserve her team8217;s chances by taking a longer, slower route at the end of the course over two jumps shaped like pagodas. Tight turns there caused other horses to run out to the side and incur penalties.

8220;It passed so quickly that I wished to go again because it was so much fun,8221; said Klimke.

Australia8217;s Megan Jones sits a close third individually on Court Jester with 51.0 points followed by countryman Clayton Fredericks on Ben Along Time at 53.4 points.

The Olympic equestrian events are being held in Hong Kong instead of Beijing due to quarantine restrictions in mainland China.

Eventing has faced controversy with several rider and horse deaths on the cross-country course at top-level competitions over the past two years.

There were also concerns before the Olympics that the heat and humidity in Hong Kong would be too hard on the horses, so the usual course length was shortened by a third.

But Monday8217;s rain made conditions much more tolerable. However, a Swedish horse suffered a hairline fracture just above his right front hoof during the cross-country phase and will require surgery.

8220;This is not an uncommon injury for competing horses,8221; said Dr Leo Jeffcott, foreign veterinary delegate for the competition. He said the outlook for Keymaster was good.

Keymaster was taken from the course by veterinary ambulance and will have surgery on Tuesday.

Ridden by Magnus Gallerdal, Keymaster finished the course in a fast time with no jumping penalties but was then found to be lame. He was treated with ice and was able to walk back to the stable where an X-ray revealed the injury.

It was a long hard day for the American team with one rider falling on course and two with enough jumping and time penalties to drop the team to seventh. The one bright spot was US rider Gina Miles, who was sitting fifth with 56.1 points on McKinlaigh.

Eventing is the equestrian triathlon, with the school figures of dressage followed by the cross-country endurance and a jumping test that is the heart of the competition.

Five riders compete for each team, with the best three scores to count for team medals.